The Multiculturally Responsive vs. the Multiculturally Reactive: A Study of Perceptions of White Counselor Trainees.

Steward, Robbie J.; And Others

As more Anglo trainees choose multicultural counseling as a specialty area, a closer examination of white on white professional activity would appear imperative. Researchers mailed questionnaires to 48 counseling psychology students in a graduate-level program at a Midwestern university. The surveys requested a general description of trainees' reactions to classroom sessions committed to multicultural literature presentations and discussions. Of the 39 students who completed the survey, 26 indicated an overall positive reaction to the presentation and discussion of multicultural issues, while 13 students gave an overall negative reaction. This latter group reveals that a critical mass of practitioners/researchers completed course work and yet rejected the concepts of multiculturalism and diversity. All trainees perceived each other as competent in service delivery, even though some trainees reported that multiculturally reactive (negative) students exhibited disrespect for content, the classroom process, the instructor(s), and peers who voiced different perspectives. Since no penalties exist for disrespectful students, an insensitivity to diversity can remain a constant among trainees in, and graduates of, training programs with multicultural counseling content. Further study of this problem, using larger samples, is recommended. (RJM)